


The Serpent Prince

by curlsandcrown



Series: Serpent Princess [1]
Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: F/M, southside serpents
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2017-12-01
Packaged: 2019-02-09 08:05:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,219
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12883596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/curlsandcrown/pseuds/curlsandcrown
Summary: When Jughead joins the Serpents, he finds it difficult to focus on the task at hand when the Serpent Princess is involved.





	The Serpent Prince

**Author's Note:**

> Here is our first AU series! It’s based on Alice still being a Serpent and raising Betty in Southside. It will be an assortment of drabbles and one shots as the chapters. Enjoy!
> 
> Prompt: This is your fault by the way.  
> Warning: Violence (based on the initiation from the show)

The weekend that his initiation into the Southside Serpents starts, his father let the younger Serpents into their trailer so that he could start taking care of the ‘beast.’ Come to find out, it was a sheepdog named Hot Dog the Third and his father clearly wasn’t thrilled about the extra body in the trailer, ideally wanting to keep his son out of his gang life. But that soon went away because Hot Dog was actually a pretty calm dog considering some of the others that he’s met in his lifetime. Jughead's not sure how this is a trial at all but he ignores it since the dog is great company while his dad is out doing whatever odd construction job he has to do so they can keep a roof over their heads.

On Saturday, they’re all gathered at the Whyte Wyrm and he has to recite the ‘laws’ that Toni helped him out with the night before. And God, he’s trying to concentrate and remember everything while Tallboy is screaming in his face about the next one. But there she is, the other legacy, Betty Cooper. Daughter of Alice, their fearless leader. He’s even heard the nickname ‘Acid Queen’ thrown around about said leader when she's not in the room.

The blonde is sitting at the bar, taking their leader’s spot and is sitting next to his dad - which is also distracting, might he add, with her long legs crossed and her black ankle boot tapping an unknown rhythm into the air. Her blonde curls are hanging down while her jacket looks great, her white t-shirt underneath sitting snug against her torso.

_It’s all extremely distracting and he needs to focus on the reason why he’s here._

“What is the final law?”

He feels like he should be worried that he can see all the veins in Tallboy’s neck popping out but he ignores it and yells, “In unity, there is strength” back into his face. They all say it back to him and he side glances the bar as both the blonde and his father say it with everyone else. Then he’s told the next test and he looks over to Toni in shock. His eyes drop to the rattlesnake inside the case and it’s hard for him to imagine Betty or Toni sticking their hands down in there. The blonde in question is watching him, her teeth digging into her bottom lip a bit.

Jughead steps up to the case and eyeballs it, feeling his heart speed up a bit as the snake’s eyes connect with his own. He takes a deep breath and he can feel her green eyes on him. With a surge of confidence, he reaches down and grabs the knife but the snake still surges forward and latches onto his hand. They all cheer around him but he looks up at Betty and she smirks at him then sends him a wink before turning to talk to his father.

He wants to go over and figure out what they’re talking about but then Toni is there, offering a towel and a bandage to wrap around his hand. She’s talking to him about the final trial tomorrow, how he needs to be at his trailer around four so they can finish it up. Jughead is nodding but still looking at Betty out of his peripheral vision as she leans against the bar, her right boot coming up to scratch behind her other knee.

* * *

The next day, he’s at Pop’s with Archie and Veronica before the final trial. He’s actually a bit nervous but he’s eating a plate full of fries, deciding to bypass the burger in case they make him do something insane again.

“So, a snake bit you?”

He nods, not wanting to give it all away but he’s always honest with the two of them since they know to keep their mouths shut. Most of all, he’s surprised at how okay they are with him joining the Serpents in the first place. His best friends are glad that he's willing to do something to try and stop the traffic of Jingle Jangle that seems to be making it's way to the jocks and cheerleaders at Riverdale High.

“It was crazy, first I had a verbal test and then retrieving that knife. When that snake bit me,” he pauses and eats another fry, “I don't know, I guess I  didn’t think that they were insane enough to make something like that into a trial.”

“Maybe that's the next trial, something truly insane. And it's the last one, Juggie? Then you're in?”

The worried tone that Veronica gives is a little comfort to him. There aren't a lot of females in his life and at first, he was hesitant with the New York socialite but once he learned she was a reformed mean girl, he felt a little bit better about letting her into his and Archie's bubble.

“Yeah, then I'm in. Though I heard something about a tattoo as well.”

Archie laughs and settles back against the booth, pulling Veronica into his side. “Who would've thought you'd be the first of us to get one. Even if you're only sixteen.”

Jughead rolls his eyes and his mind drifts to the whole initiation again. Surely the girls didn't have to get tattoos.

“Are my eyes deceiving me or are you thinking about a girl?”

His eyes shoot up to Veronica's and he wonders how she can always see through his protective exterior. “Not in the way you're thinking, Ronnie.”

They both lean forward, eager to hear what he has to say.

“There's another 'legacy’ there, Betty. She's my dad's best friend's daughter and I'm just wondering if they all go through this - the girls, I mean. The tattoos and the snake. But Toni said the final test is brutal, that I'd have to be willing to die for them.” He pauses and notices their look of horror. Maybe he said too much. “Anyways, I'm just wondering if she had to go through it.”

“Is it the same Alice we saw as kids?” When he gives Archie a nod, the redhead’s eyes immediately widen. “She was so hot! Sorry, Ronnie,” he says when she proceeds to smack his arm. “What does Betty look like?”

“The apple doesn't fall far from the tree,” he says before he leans back in the booth too. “Blonde hair, green eyes and about a head shorter than me. She seems to be sassy from what I've heard from Toni and doesn't put up with any shit. But she's always there, watching me.”

Archie looks a little star struck but Veronica leans forward. “Maybe she likes what she sees, even underneath that beanie. What about this Toni girl? She seems interested, too.”

He rubs the back of his neck and leans back. “She's been really helpful with all of this initiation crap. And she's been flirtatious but I don't know.”

Veronica sits back with a knowing smile and eats a fry. “When all this is done, we'll have a chat, Juggie. But in the meantime….we have more news you should probably tell your dad when you get a chance. I swear Reggie is dealing.”

With that they start to talk about other things, stuff that he wants to talk to both FP and Alice about, seeing what they could do to maybe get the Ghoulies to back off.

* * *

Later that evening, he's standing by his trailer with Toni in a white tank top and flannel tied around his hips while they wait for the rest of the serpents to show up. Soon enough, Sweet Pea and a group show up to lead him to the final spot. His dad and Alice are there, talking quietly against a black vintage Mustang and Betty is standing there listening while nodding her head every now and then. He thinks she must be more involved with the higher up stuff than the rest of them. She's got tight jeans on and her trademark black ankle boots that she always seems to have on, her leather jacket ending right at her waist with a white top barely peeking out.

“You ready, Jones?”

He nods, barely hearing that all he has to do is make it down the line and then they'll be done. It wasn't until he noticed they were cracking knuckles that he realized they'd be throwing punches. Jughead turns towards his dad and the three of them are now paying attention to the initiation taking place. Alice has a perfectly placed smile and his dad gives him a thumbs up. Betty is just staring, as always, before she smiles at him.

With that smile, he feels like it might be alright. Until he receives the first punch and he feels like this was a horrible idea. He's been pushed before at school from some of the jocks but this is way worse. They're ruthless and it only seems fitting since they've all gone through this before.

Blood is dripping down his lip and he wipes it off before looking at Sweet Pea. They have a love/hate relationship and he hates that he will be the last person to land the punch.

“That all you got?”

Sweet Pea smiles then his fist connects with his temple and he's knocked over, noticing that he definitely played dirty with some brass knuckles. Jughead feels like he's going to throw up but he pushes it down then stands up, stumbling to one side a bit before standing up straight. He looks into the guy's eyes then shakes his hand when it's offered.

Alice and FP move over, presenting his leather jacket. Alice kisses him on the cheek, something no one has ever received but since she's known him his whole life it gives him a step above the rest, and his dad pulls him into a fierce hug. The others move over, Toni hugging him first but his eyes connect with Betty's and he sees the rage in those beautiful green eyes.

His eyes follow -as does his father's and Alice's, when she goes to Sweet Pea and grabs his collar, dragging him down to meet her face. They're all a bit quiet, watching the Serpent Princess at work.

“What the hell was that?”

“Just brass knuckles. Ain't a big deal, Betts.”

“You do not get to call me that and you know better. Whatever shit you have going on between Jones, you do that in your own time. We don't try to kill the fucking new ones. Got me?”

Alice's smile is one of sheer pride and she nods when Betty's eyes connect with hers. The adults take their leave, saying he needs to get his tattoo then get cleaned up. A small group of them go into the trailer, Betty included and he's sitting there with an ice pack against his head as the tattoo is being inked.

It doesn't take a long time and Toni starts to offer that she could stay, help clean up his wounds but it shocks him when Betty says that she will. The pink haired girl looks annoyed but nods to her superior.

Jughead knows she’s just trying to help but the dabbing from the cotton ball and the peroxide is making his head throb even more. He gently pushes her hand away then lets the ice sit against his temple and he sighs in relief from the cold. His body feels like it’s on fire from the beating and Betty’s hands all over him, flitting around from cut to cut.

Then she’s at his arm, rubbing some kind of ointment over his tattoo and he can’t help but wonder where hers is located since he learned that they all do in fact have to get it. Is it as rugged as his or more feminine?

He blames it on the concussion he most likely has and how attracted he is to her but he turns his head then leans over to kiss the Serpent Princess. It’s quick at first before she sets her hands on his cheeks and deepens it while he pulls her closer. Betty adjusts and straddles his lap, settling herself around mid-thigh on his legs. His busted lip hurts a bit but he moves closer then trails his lips down her jaw.

“This is all your fault you know,” he murmurs against her skin before pulling back and looking into her confused green eyes that are also filled with what he assumes is lust.

“How?”

Looking down, he runs his hands along her jean-clad thighs and moves them up towards her hips. “The clothes you’ve been teasing me with since I first walked into the Whyte Wyrm, your beautiful smile when you think no one is looking, how you manage to completely distract me when grown men are yelling at me, biting your lip while I recited the laws and stuck my hand into that stupid snakepit -”

“We wouldn’t have let you do it if he was still venomous,” she protests but he puts his finger against her lips.

“I’m talking princess. The way you bad mouthed Sweet Pea earlier when he hit me with the brass knuckles. All of it. Your. Fault,” he emphasizes before connecting his lips back with hers.

 

**Author's Note:**

> Written by J. 
> 
> Requests are open! 
> 
> J + R


End file.
